Fathers' Day

This Fathers' Day has a particular poignancy as it is the first since the death of my father. It felt odd not getting a card to send. (I did hear from my children, not to mention my wife and my mother-in-law. After my April heart attack, I'm actually grateful to be here for Fathers' Day!)

Here's an extra prayer we said in church for Fathers' Day:

Loving God, whom we also call Father, we pray for our own Fathers and all those who are father figures to us. We thank you for their wisdom and care for us. We bless you for their strength and patience. Bless them with peace and joy as we honour them all the days of their life. May they, like the men in the scriptures and Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, be just and true. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Memorial Day

[Here is a prayer we said in church yesterday. It was a combination of thoughts I had after reviewing several prayers on Memorial Day.]

Almighty God, we give you thanks for the service of the men and women of our armed forces through the years and we especially remember those men and women who have laid down their lives in the service of our country; grant to those who are commemorated on our memorials and those who are written in our hearts your mercy and the light of your presence; also give, Lord, to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; these things we ask in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.